After years of hard work, the first tenant of the Crossing at 64 mixed use project held its groundbreaking this week.

The opening of a new Bojangles’ restaurant doesn’t always attract local elected leaders, but this was a little different than usual.

Tands Inc. finalized an agreement to open the restaurant in 2010. Then the Great Recession essentially put all business growth on pause in Edgecombe County. Two years later, things finally have started to turn around for the development and the region.

That doesn’t mean the Twin Counties has fully recovered – far from it. But businesses don’t build storefronts based on hunches. The owners take a long, hard look at the community and economic data before committing their money to a project.

So we hope that the encouraging signs seen by Tands Inc. continue to grow in strength.

Already, the Rocky Mount–Edgecombe Community Development Corp. hopes this first business will help attract more investment to the project.

Plans for the total 85-acre project call for shopping, family entertainment, outlet shopping, housing, hotels, restaurants and a medical park.

The development corporation has focused its efforts on the first 15 acres of retail development. Water, sewage and roadway construction already have been completed for the project, thanks to grant funding and $251,000 in Rocky Mount tax money.

The Crossing at 64 project has been in the planning stages for 13 years. In that time, many individuals have worked hard to turn an open field into a place where people can live, shop and visit along U.S. 64 in Edgecombe County. It’s taken time to find supporters, money and businesses.

Here’s hoping the future of this development picks up speed after this positive first step.